Monkey on the back at liverpool? ( hard to manage?)

I havn't managed Liverpool in FM ever but desided to start a game with the Si dater update patch.

32 games in i was sacked having won the league cup, in the Fa Cup semi, but only 11th in the league, I have ran the game on holiday with Both Dalglish and Benitez in charge with the new look Liverpool team Lead by Suarez and Carrol and both seems to linger around mid table..

Are the current players really that bad at liverpool at the moment.?

No, but there is a distinct lack of speed in the team. It is very difficult (or impossible?) to use Carroll for anything useful, as aerial prowess is underpowered in the game. Kuyt is a good, hard-working player but his skills aren't that useful in the game. Meireles doesn't score as much as he does in real life, Gerrard is so injury-prone that he will rarely go a game without a knock (and knocks will take him out of that game even if he recovers), etc etc.

So yes, I suppose Liverpool is a hard team to manage the first season.

I've seen Liverpool just avoid relegation by 2 points in season one, somehow Dalglish avoided the sack. Have to agree they are pretty hard to manage in the first season, safest bet is to keep your signings to a minimum and aim for top 4. The players are not rubbish by any stretch and there are some very good youngsters. I think the trouble is that there are quite a few new signings at the club so you need to get them blended, if you add more signings the start of the season is tough and you need to find a way to turn around morale and form once your team gel.

guess it's a true copy of what's goin to happen in real life HAPPY DAYS!

Andy Carrol is a machine if you play him in the right way, a beast of a goal scorer, but there is a lack of natual pace in the team to begin with. They can be hard to manage, but if you find the right tactic the squad can do very well. They are no worse than Spurs really, except for the pace and its easy enough to win the EPL first season with them.

The biggest problem would be that the team hasn't gelled. The defence is pretty dodgy too.

Would like to see liverpool win the league IRL but can't see them getting past either of the teams in Manchester anytime soon. Will be nice to see how this Sterling kid does

In my hotseat game I was 6th in the first season, and then 7th after about 7 games the next season but got beaten heavily by Man U and was sacked. Went on to have a decent career with Leicester so far.

I also started a single player game with Liverpool, determined to have more success. I managed to take them to the bottom of the league after 8 games. Recovered to mid table and won the League Cup, but then got sacked. So I added manager, took over them again and have turned them into a success with 9 league wins, 6 Champions Cups and about 30 other cups.

So the first season is difficult, but get past it and you can achieve something.

Jovanovic, Aurelio, Konchesky, Poulsen, Carroll, Suarez, Meireles are all new players.

Gerrard, Agger, Aurelio, Kelly, Carroll? are all quite injury prone.

The title can be won but it requires a decent amount of luck, or signing the usual suspects over 48 months to add some genuine class.

i think in real life so far they have settled well. i'm not convinced by Henderson, his body langauge suggests he was very sulky and lack luster against Exeter as was Caroll, he seemed in a mad mood also.. in terms og lfiar they dont even match up close to UTD, Valencia, Young, Nani, Anderson, Rooney, Hernandez, all we got is Suarez, gerrad is a spent force and will never be the same player we once knew, he is wrong side of 30 and his reacuring groin inury has put pay to him, he will have to become a player that sits in front of back 4 and do little running, his serging forward runs are finished now..

getting back on FM topic, maybe i should restart and keep playing with tactics until i find one that suits.. I cant get the 4-2-3-1 benitiez formation to work as the SC and AMC dont seem to work or score.

I agree with what was posted above, particularly the part about team gelling. Keep in mind, Liverpool has a ton of new transfer in 11.3 (both the Summer 2010 and Winter 2011 signings count as new), so team blend among players is very low.

Also, Carroll is useless in single-striker formations. As I think Dalglish will soon find out in the real EPL, he's a traditionally "good" English player who lacks the creativity and speed to really spearhead a top class attack. He's good to have on set pieces, but he really struggles to break down defensive formations. With that said, Carroll can shine in a 4-4-2 as a deep forward with a bit of attacking training, but again, whatever the formation, the team needs time to come together.

EDIT: Also, the long-term usefulness of Carroll is contingent on how well Kuyt tutors him. If you can get Kuyt to impart the better part of his personality, Carroll becomes an absolute beast. If not, he remains a skilled but temperamental player.

I think the formation is key. I fell into the trap of trying the 4-2-3-1, since it's what Liverpool have played alot IRL. But this got me sacked, and I eventually found the 4-5-1 (midfield V) works a treat, with both wide men as inside forwards. It helps if you can bring in some wide men with pace. I got Hazard for the left and Hoilett right, they worked a treat.

I agree with what was posted above, particularly the part about team gelling. Keep in mind, Liverpool has a ton of new transfer in 11.3 (both the Summer 2010 and Winter 2011 signings count as new), so team blend among players is very low.

Also, Carroll is useless in single-striker formations. As I think Dalglish will soon find out in the real EPL, he's a traditionally "good" English player who lacks the creativity and speed to really spearhead a top class attack. He's good to have on set pieces, but he really struggles to break down defensive formations. With that said, Carroll can shine in a 4-4-2 as a deep forward with a bit of attacking training, but again, whatever the formation, the team needs time to come together.

i think Carrol at 35 mill and Henderson at 20 Mill could be the down fall of KK at Liverpool. they are over priced and unless he can find away to utilies there skills that benifits the team it will cost him the job in the long run. if we make top 4, who do we sell or buy to then kick on and challenge..? we would need to spend millions more which we prob dont have, as good as the youngsters are, Kelly, Flanagan, Robinson, Sterling, Codey, Etc, ic ant see them beeing good enough to win a prem team a title.. Barcley at Everton looks like the new SG to me, and id rather of had Steven Jovetic from Firoentina instead of Henderson..

I'm in my third season at Liverpool, first season came sixth in the PL and lost in the Europa Cup final, second season 6th in

PL, won the Europa League and lost in the Super Cup Final, third season I'm challenging for the title and in the Europa Cup final again. So not doing too bad, have had to make big signings, Hazard, Sanchez, Hulk to get the team going good. Suarez has been amazing for me, but I think like most people have not got anything out of Carroll.

i think we should make it a challenge, how best to get the best out of Carroll

I managed to win the league in the first season on my current save, using carroll as a lone striker in a 4-1-2-2-1 formation with suarez on the right wing using wallys update. Suarez and carroll netting 30 between them.

The success stopped there so far my 2nd season i finished 8th lost in semi final of UCL to united and semi of FA cup to blackburn. currently 3rd by 8 points in january of 3rd season.

i've been tried to get bale in pre-season offering upto 56m then i decided to holiday last fortnight in december while i went to shop and spurs offered bale out at 21m and accepted a 20m bid form united. typical

Am surprised with some of the comments on kuyt I have always found him a bit of a machine in FM for last couple of versions, he may not be quick but he has more then enough to be an asset.

Disagree about Carroll. In my last Liverpool save, months ago, I took over from Woy halfway through the season when they were in midtable, and as all transfers were set to future I got Carroll for £35m. He scored something like 7 goals in 10 games, including a hatrick against Man utd, who I demolished 5-2. This was in a 4-5-1, and before he had this huge PA boost that he got in the updated DB that you are probably using. I finished 6th that season, just like they did IRL.

The second season he had about 17 epl goals i think. Quality. Kuyt also was a top player for me, scoring 8-10 epl goals a season. Those were the days. One of the best saves I ever had. In 2nd for most of the season, then had a bit of a crash toward the end and got 4th. That said, I did have Ashley Young playing brilliantly, so was not without pace. Shame about Downing, don't rate him irl, but in the game he is not good enough for a title challenging team.

Am surprised with some of the comments on kuyt I have always found him a bit of a machine in FM for last couple of versions, he may not be quick but he has more then enough to be an asset.

I agree, kuyt is a valuable asset. Scores a few goals, quite a few assists and is good to tutor people. As the mob would say I was made an offer I couldn't refuse for him, so let him go.

This is how I play.

GK - Reina

DR - G.J. as wingback : width on the right

DCr - Agger as a ball-player covering the defence

DCl - Carra/Skrtel - Stopper, also helps the DM

DL - Fabio Aurelio - protects the left, doesn't go forward much, but passes and crosses from deep

DMr - Lucas, standard DM, but in DMr possition to cover more from Glen going forward

CM - Meireles - playmaker

MCr - Gerrard - Central Midf. Attack with free role

AMR - Kuyt/Maxi, inside forward, set up just like the DLF Attack , but no shooting from distance. Low mentality and passing. Has hold up ball.

ST - Carrol - DLF, with long shots rarely, hold up ball. Wide play = normal so he is central all the time.

STl - Suarez - Complete Forward Support, Free Role, no hold up Ball.

Usually end up 2nd or 3rd.

2nd season I go to a 5-2-1-2 with wingbacks.

i think Carrol at 35 mill and Henderson at 20 Mill could be the down fall of KK at Liverpool. they are over priced and unless he can find away to utilies there skills that benifits the team it will cost him the job in the long run. if we make top 4' date=' who do we sell or buy to then kick on and challenge..? we would need to spend millions more which we prob dont have, as good as the youngsters are, Kelly, Flanagan, Robinson, Sterling, Codey, Etc, ic ant see them beeing good enough to win a prem team a title.. Barcley at Everton looks like the new SG to me, and id rather of had Steven Jovetic from Firoentina instead of Henderson..[/quote']

At todays prices they both are cheaper than El Hadji Douif - another uninformed opinion by someone who listens to Sky Sports and their commentators too much!

http://tomkinstimes.com/2011/08/20-years-of-lfc-transfers-in-2011-money/

Learn the facts before posting unadultered rubbish!

These are Carroll's stats from the first 3 seasons before I replaced him with Cavani on my 11.3 save:

2010-11

Apps: 49(1)

Goals:20

Assists:5

Av Rat: 7.03

2011-12

Apps: 54(3)

Goals: 29

Assists: 13

Av Rat: 7.38

2012-13

Apps: 52

Goals: 25

Assists: 15

Av Rat:7.26

That was with a narrow 4-1-2-1-2, played as a Target Man (Attk), and set as the team's Target Man with a To Head setting, and also at the far post on corners with corners set to far post.

First season he had Suarez up front with him as an Adv. Forward (Attk), and the next two seasons with Aguero in the same role. It is definitely possible to get a fair contribution out of him. It probably coulda been much better if I'd had decent set-piece takers to be honest. It does take a while to get rid of all the deadwood but if you can secure Top 4 finishes in the first season or two you should have had enough time to build your own team without the likes of Poulsen, Cole, Konchesky, etc. I only managed to shift the last of them in 2014 when Konchesky's contract expired as no-one would take him. Not even for free.

I do agree with the lack of Pace in the team when you start off. My first four signings were Cissokho, Sanchez, Hoilett and Vaclav Kadlec, which kinda fixed it. I managed 4th in the first season and the second, which gave me money to build a young, fast, determined team.

Also,

i think Carrol at 35 mill and Henderson at 20 Mill could be the down fall of KK at Liverpool. they are over priced and unless he can find away to utilies there skills that benifits the team it will cost him the job in the long run. if we make top 4' date=' who do we sell or buy to then kick on and challenge..? we would need to spend millions more which we prob dont have, as good as the youngsters are, Kelly, Flanagan, Robinson, Sterling, Codey, Etc, ic ant see them beeing good enough to win a prem team a title.. Barcley at Everton looks like the new SG to me, and id rather of had Steven Jovetic from Firoentina instead of Henderson..[/quote']

I disagree with a lot of that. First off, I really like Henderson. Like someone above me said, you have to take into context the market keeps inflating, so naturally every player's price will go up. About 5 years ago they would have been a rip-off but in today's context I don't think it is. Henderson seems very adept at fast-paced, pass-and-move football, which bodes well for what KK is trying to do here. (Wish Carra would stop hoofing from deep though.) Also, unlike Raul Meireles Henderson CAN play effectively on the Right Wing, given that Hendo has Pace, is comfortable dribbling with the ball and has a pretty good Cross on him.

Carroll is a slight question mark to be fair. Will we be able to harness him properly? I'd say if there was one man I'd trust to bring out the best in such a player, it's definitely Dalglish. You can't underestimate the Dalglish Factor. I'd say the one thing holding him back more than anything right now is something I alluded to just no, Carragher's hoofing from deep. It rarely gets near Carroll and even if it is, and he wins the header, the whole team is too deep to be able to support him. If Carragher cuts that out and we get the necessary wide support for him he could form an absolutely destructive partnership with Suarez, who I don't need to wax lyrical about. (I do think his Quickness is slightly under-rated in FM though. Accel 15/Pace 14? Really? Really....? Really. REALLY?)

Also, I think you're doing our youngsters a dis-service. Kelly looks mature beyond his years if a bit injury-prone; Flanagan and Robinson are only 18 and 17 respectively and have played well in the Premiership when called upon; Sterling is an absolutely awesome player - and only 16 still; and Coady is a pretty good player too - composed on the ball, kinda reminds me of Gerrard in quite a few ways.

So to summarise, then Carroll can be used effectively on FM. The first season or two is a bit of a challenge and at times you'll be punching the wall in frustration at the team but if you can stabilise them and build from there after getting rid of Cole, Poulsen, Jovanovic, Konchesky, and other deadwood on significant wages, then you can succeed big-time. The Board give you great funding, in my experience.